AFC Mailbags: McGloin, Richardson, Bengals, Jets
It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s start the day with some notes from the AFC…
- Considering the presence of Derek Carr and Christian Ponder, Bill Williamson believes the Raiders could shop quarterback Matt McGloin. If he ends up having a good preseason, another team could look to acquire the 25-year-old.
- Regardless of the play of Raiders running back Latavius Murray, Williamson believes Trent Richardson will make the team’s opening day roster.
- Coley Harvey would prefer to “wait and see” how the Bengals receivers perform before declaring that they need more depth at the position.
- Rich Cimini guesses that four running backs will make the Jets roster, an indication that Zac Stacy will be safe. As the writer points out, the team surrendered a draft pick for Stacy, so the organization will try to make it work.
- If Henry Anderson ends up starting on the defensive line for the Colts, Mike Wells says we can point to Kendall Langford‘s contract as a mistake.
Extra Points: Titans, Beckham, Raiders, Bucs
Following the Titans announcement today of their 20-year agreement with Nissan, CEO/president Steve Underwood reiterated that the team is not for sale.
“The team is not for sale,” Underwood told John Glennon of the Tennessean. “We have not had any discussions with anyone about selling the team. Our owners are committed to continuing to maintain the team just as it is in their family, and we couldn’t be happier about that.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFL…
- Following reports that Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr. was peeved at his teammates’ teasing, the second-year player told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post that he gets along fine with the other players. “I have no problem with anybody on the team or inside or anything,” he said.
- ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson took a look at the Raiders cap situation. The NFL requires teams to spend at least 89 percent of their cap between 2013 and 2016. The Raiders entered the offseason having spent just over 80 percent, and Williamson surmises that the team will need to spend nearly “all of their cap room” in the next two years.
- Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht recognizes that it takes time to build a contender. However, as he told Steven Ruiz of USA Today, he believes his roster has improved drastically in his year-plus on the job. “This wasn’t a rebuild, this was a little bit of a retool,” he said. “When you have players like Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David and Mark Barron and Vincent Jackson and the list goes on and on, you can’t call it a rebuild. We just had a little retooling to do.”
Stadium Notes: Titans, Raiders, Rams
Goodbye LP Field. Hello Nissan Stadium.
The Titans and Nissan announced this morning that they have agreed to a 20-year partnership, according to the Associated Press. The new name will be subject to approval by the NFL.
The stadium was initially called Adelphia Coliseum following it’s completion in 1999, and it’s been know as LP Field since 2006. Besides the Titans, the space is also home to the Tennessee State football team and the Music City Bowl.
As you’ve likely heard, there’s plenty of other stadium talk going around the NFL. Let’s take a look at those whispers…
- Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf met with commissioner Roger Goodell in New York earlier this month, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. Schaaf’s intent is to keep the Raiders in Oakland, as opposed to moving the team to Los Angeles. Eric Grumman, the “league point man for Los Angeles relocation and franchise retention in home markets” (as Bair so eloquently describes), was also at the meeting, and he claims there were no negotiations. “The Mayor outlined visions and goals at a general level,” Grubman said. “No specific proposal was discussed. Roger encouraged dialogue, and he stressed that there was a need to have a specific and actionable plan put forward soon.”
- The main topic in a St. Louis courtroom this afternoon pertained to the construction of a new Rams stadium, as David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch describes. Attorneys basically argued that the stadium could be considered “adjacent” to the dome in downtown St. Louis, regardless of where it’s built.
NFL Quotes: Raiders, Pryor, Vikings, Packers
With OTAs finished, it’s been relatively slow in the NFL world (luckily we have the Tom Brady saga to distract us temporarily). Even with a lack of news, various beat reporters have still been able to come away with some excellent sound clips, and we’ve compiled those for you below…
Raiders offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave on team’s offense (via Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com):
“We made some strides, but we have a long way to go. That’s probably the understatement of the year. … We have our moments, but we have to be much more consistent. I think we all recognize and acknowledge that. That will be our goal, of course, going up there to training camp so we can get good in a hurry.”
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel on Terrelle Pryor‘s quest to become a wideout (via WHBC in Canton, Ohio; quote via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com):
“If anyone can, he can. He certainly has tremendous athletic ability and a passion to help wherever he can be helpful. So if anyone can do it, he can. And, he could be the bonus of, he can be the team’s third quarterback, and that way they only have to carry two, which gives you a chance to have one more good player on special teams or whatever else. So I think he could be a bonus.”
Vikings wideout Charles Johnson on his job security (via Master Tesfatsion of the Minneapolis Star Tribune):
“In this business, you’re never secure. You never want to lie down and say, ‘Hey, I made it.’ I’m always working, and we’re always working together. Nobody here has been handed anything, and we’re just ready to come out here and work and become the best players we can be.”
Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari on his interactions with Aaron Rodgers (via Paul Imig of Fox Sports Wisconsin):
“I didn’t really talk to Aaron. I was like, ‘If he speaks to me, I’ll speak to him.’ If he didn’t speak to me, I didn’t want to go up to him unless he wanted to engage in a conversation.”
West Notes: Chargers, Raiders, 49ers
Rams running back Tre Mason admits that he wasn’t thrilled to learn about the Rams’ selection of Todd Gurley in this year’s draft.
“I was in shock, really, because I thought I did a good job last year,’’ said Mason, according to Joe Lyons of the Post-Dispatch. “At that time, with a pick like that, it’s a replacement.’’
Mason, who tied for the team lead in touchdowns last season as a rookie, eventually shook that off and focused on doing the best that he can, regardless of who else is there at his position. Of course, it’s not a given that Gurley will be healthy, so the opportunities could still be there for Mason in 2015. Here’s more out of the West divisions..
- The city of Carson, California held a town hall meeting on Monday night to discuss the proposed stadium that would house both the Chargers and the Raiders. However, Carmen Policy, the man by the two teams to spearhead the effort, was not present for it, and neither were the Raiders, as Carson mayor Albert Robles told XTRA 1360 in San Diego. “My understanding is that Carmen was supposed to be there, but he missed his flight and was not able to make it,” Robles said (transcription via Mike Florio of PFT). “And it was supposed to be his presentation, and I tried to wing it as best as I could. But Mr. Policy did apologize, he did convey his regrets, he said that he would make up for it.” The Raiders’ absence is particularly interesting as the team is considering a financial plan that could make a new stadium in Oakland viable for them.
- If the Chargers are leaving town, then owner Dean Spanos owes it to the city of San Diego to come clean, Nick Canepa of U-T San Diego writes. While it would be tough for local Bolts fans to hear that their team is skipping town, that bit of honesty would at least end the figurative torture for SD residents. Canepa wonders if Spanos’ silence goes beyond a PR ploy. He suspects that the owner could simply be using stall tactics to find out of the league will be ready to put a team (or teams) in Los Angeles in 2016.
- Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com assessed the 49ers‘ offseason and gave them a less-than-stellar grade of a C-minus. Things obviously haven’t gone San Francisco’s way this offseason with Anthony Davis, Justin Smith, Chris Borland, and Patrick Willis all retiring. On top of that, NaVorro Bowman is attempting to come back from knee surgery and Ahmad Brooks could be on his way out if charges are pressed against him. And, while it hasn’t gotten as much attention as the mass retirements, SF also took a risk by trading away punter Andy Lee, who is an all-time great at his position. On a positive note, Gutierrez gives the Niners credit for adding deep threat receiver Torrey Smith on a five-year, $40MM pact ($22MM guaranteed).
Extra Points: Woodson, Wilson, Joseph
Raiders veteran Charles Woodson is down to make whatever changes new head coach Jack Del Rio and defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. want to, Tyler Moorehead of Raiders.com writes. “We need it,” Woodson said. “My take is that, the last couple of years that I’ve been here, it’s been three wins and four wins. Whatever different that comes in and feels good, you welcome it. We feel good about not only him, but all of the guys that they’ve brought in. They all have that fire. It’s been fun.” Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times looked at the Seahawks‘ offense by position and the most pressing storyline for each group. When it comes to quarterback, the biggest question is whether Russell Wilson will play 2015 without a contract. Much was made of a radio interview Wilson gave recently in which he said he’s “been moved around before,’’ but Condotta largely chalks that up to a negotiating ploy more than anything. Meanwhile, the Seahawks also have to find their new starter at center following the trade of longtime starter Max Unger.
- Johnathan Joseph can earn up to $15.5MM in the first two seasons of his extension, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Of that money, $11.5MM is fully guaranteed for the Texans cornerback.
- Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota is the last first-round draft pick left unsigned, but he told SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that he’s “not worried about it at all” earlier today. “Obviously, it’s a business deal,” the No. 2 overall pick said. “It’s going to take some time. That’s why you hire your agent.” Recently, Titans GM Ruston Webster acknowledged that it’s possible that Mariota could miss a few days of training camp if the two sides can’t come to a deal.
Stadium Updates: Tuesday
PFR’s Zach Links passed along the latest updates last night on stadium talks for the Raiders and Chargers, two candidates to relocate to Los Angeles in 2016. While things have been quiet – at least by comparison – on the St. Louis front recently, Oakland and San Diego remain in the news today. Let’s check in on today’s stadium-related items:
- Today’s meeting between NFL officials and San Diego’s top stadium negotiator – detailed below – went well, with the two sides planning on scheduling a follow-up meeting for late July, Garrick writes for the Union-Tribune. Per Garrick, the conversation today was a more general discussion about the city’s stadium proposal, rather than focusing on getting the Chargers back to the negotiating table.
Earlier updates:
- Real estate developer Floyd Kephart met Monday’s deadline to send details of his plan for a new Raiders stadium to the city of Oakland and Alameda County, and now officials will have 20 business days to accept, reject, or ask Kephart for clarifications on his proposal. As Bill Williamson of ESPN.com writes, Kephart feels good about the plan, and hopes to get feedback by next week. Land, infrastructure cost, and debt-transfer issues are the biggest potential roadblocks to overcome for the project, says Williamson.
- Kephart on his stadium plan, via Williamson: “I think we delivered a good product. If we can get a little bit of movement from the city and county at this stage and a little bit of movement from the Raiders at the next stage, we can get a deal. It’s not nearly as complicated as what’s going on in San Diego.”
- Speaking of San Diego, mayor Kevin Faulconer spoke to commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday about his city’s efforts to build a new Chargers stadium, according to David Garrick of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Faulconer spokesman Matt Awbrey indicated that the conversation lasted 45 minutes, adding that the city’s top negotiator, Chris Melvin, is scheduled to meet with NFL officials today to explain San Diego’s position on environmental approvals and a public vote.
Latest On Possible Move For Raiders, Chargers
Oakland Athletics owner Lew Wolff wants to build a new stadium for his MLB team at the site of the current Coliseum, but isn’t particularly interested in sharing that new stadium with the Raiders, as John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group details.
“We have thoroughly investigated things,” Wolff said. “And there is no good way to put two brand-new venues at the Coliseum site. If the Raiders are going to be there, then I don’t know what will happen. We’ll have to sit down with (baseball commissioner) Rob (Manfred) and see what to do..I think it’s really important from our perspective, the A’s and baseball, the city focus on the need to get something done with regards to baseball. Not to the detriment of football, but the need to get something done with baseball.”
Well, as it turns out, the city of Oakland just might have a financing plan to satisfy the Raiders’ needs while chasing the A’s away, as Matthew Artz of the Bay Area News Group writes. San Diego-based businessman Floyd Kephart submitted a report to top city officials earlier today which could be key to making the Coliseum site viable for future use. The NFL is demanding that Oakland produce a workable stadium plan for the Raiders by the end of this year or risk losing the team.
As Oakland officials fight to retain their team, the city of San Diego is also working to keep the Chargers away from Los Angeles. As Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter links) details, Chargers fans have asked SD attorney Jan Goldsmith for anti-trust suit against team for failure to show “good faith.” Chargers counsel Mark Fabiani, however, doesn’t sound fazed by the threat (link). Fabiani told Cole that the Bolts’ lease “explicitly precludes lawsuits by the city against the team or the NFL in the event of relocation” making the threat of the suit “a crazy idea.”
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
AFC Mailbags: Bills, Raiders, Jets, Colts
It’s a June Saturday, so that means a full dose of mailbags from the NFL beat writers. We’ll start with some Bills thoughts.
- Walk-year left tackle Cordy Glenn could be the odd man out when it comes to contract re-ups next offseason, writes Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. The fourth-year starter’s put together a solid body of work, particularly in 2013 where Pro Football Focus slotted the 2012 second-round pick as its 13th-best tackle. But with Marcell Dareus‘ massive second payday forthcoming, Glenn’s next deal may come from elsewhere, since Carucci doesn’t believe the Bills view him as a certainty to play up to the kind of contract a quality left tackle commands in free agency.
- Showing up late for minicamp may cost right tackle Seantrel Henderson his starting job, with 2014 second-rounder Cyrus Kouandjio stepping in as a result. This could just be for minicamp as Buffalo assesses its front-line talent, but Carucci notes that with Glenn potentially in his last season with the team, they may need to see what they have in Kouandjio.
- Third-round pick Clive Walford has a chance to beat out incumbent Mychal Rivera for the Raiders‘ starting tight end job if he keeps up the play he showed during minicamp, notes ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson. The ESPN scribe already views Walford, a 6-foot-4 Miami product, as a more dynamic playmaker than Rivera, who despite being a quality garbage-time fantasy option, rated as Pro Football Focus’ second-worst tight end (subscription required) in 2014.
- Jets ESPN.com reporter Rich Cimini thinks re-signing both Muhammad Wilkerson and, eventually, Sheldon Richardson will be difficult, with the possibility of defensive linemen making as much as $30MM per year in 2017. That eye-popping figure may be a bit high considering J.J. Watt and Ndamukong Suh don’t average $20MM per season. The Jets do allocate a league-high $34.4MM to their offensive front, and renegotiations there could help keep together what could be the best defensive line in the game. But Cimini expects the Jets to take a hard-line stance with Wilkerson after drafting Leonard Williams at No. 6.
- After alternating snaps in minicamp, Lance Louis and Hugh Thornton are the Colts‘ top candidates to start at right guard if Jack Mewhort moves to right tackle, writes ESPN.com’s Mike Wells. The oft-injured Donald Thomas is an outside candidate to reclaim that spot after multiple season-ending injuries, although he didn’t participate in minicamp.
AFC Notes: Chiefs, Browns, Raiders, Steelers
The Chiefs went through both voluntary and mandatory minicamp sans holdout Justin Houston, but head coach Andy Reid isn’t concerned about the star linebacker’s status going forward.
“There’s a lot of rules and regulations but I don’t get caught up in that — that’s what Dorse (general manager John Dorsey) does. I have trust in both sides, actually, that they’ll get something done,” Reid told Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
The Chiefs placed the franchise tag on Houston after he led the NFL in sacks last year with 22, but he hasn’t signed his one-year, $13.1MM tender and the two sides have until July 15 to strike a long-term deal. Otherwise, the Chiefs’ best hope is that Houston eventually signs his tender and reports in time for the 2015 season. As a nonexclusive franchise player, another team could sign Houston to a deal, which would give the Chiefs the right to match it or let him go in exchange for two first-round picks from the other club.
Here’s the latest on some of the Chiefs’ AFC brethren:
- Given his size (6-foot-4, 233 pounds) and speed, Terrelle Pryor‘s conversion from quarterback to wide receiver could pique some teams’ interest. The Browns won’t be one of them, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com tweeted.
- Real estate developer Floyd Kephart faces a Monday deadline in his bid to provide proof to the city of Oakland, the Raiders and Oakland-Alameda County that his proposed new stadium plan is making progress, writes Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. Scott McKibben, the executive director of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority, is optimistic. “We are hopeful we will see what we need to see,” McKibben sid. “This is an important benchmark deadline.”
- The Steelers’ second-ranked passing offense picked apart opposing defenses last year, and it could be more of the same this season – especially if wide receiver Markus Wheaton‘s transition from the outside to the slot goes well. “He is super fast and quick, and that’s what you need because you are facing that third corner or linebacker a lot,” Steelers wideout Antonio Brown told Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review. “On third downs, nine times out of 10 that’s where the ball is going to go. It’s just about being on the same page with Ben (Roethlisberger).”